How to add database environment variables to Javascript

Question

I want to add my database environment variables to a .env file and use that file in my Javascript program in order to create a connection to my database using Node.js.

So here is my database info which I use to create connection with:

var con = mysql.createConnection({
  host: "localhost",
  user: "root",
  password: "my password",
  database: "mydatabase"
});

Then I try to check if I am connected to my database using these lines:

(It should print "Connected!").

con.connect(function(err) {   
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log("Connected!");
});

I want to put the first block of code in another file and require that file in my Node.js program.

How should I do this? How should I require the file? Thank you in advance :)

Peter · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-29 18:46:55Z

3

I suggest using dotenv package.

Taken straight from the readme:

As early as possible in your application, require and configure dotenv.

require('dotenv').config()
Create a .env file in the root directory of your project. Add environment-specific variables on new lines in the form of NAME=VALUE. For example:

DB_HOST=localhost DB_USER=root DB_PASS=s1mpl3
Usage (process.env now has the keys and values you defined in your .env file.)

var db = require('db') db.connect({ host: process.env.DB_HOST, username: process.env.DB_USER, password: process.env.DB_PASS })

NOTE: Make sure your .gitignore has an entry to ignore .env files.

answered Aug 29, 2017 at 18:46

Peter

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5 Comments

Zahra Golpa Over a year ago

That was great! Thank you.

Zahra Golpa Over a year ago

I'm just not sure about this line: var db = require ('db') Can you explain it, please? What does db refer to?

Peter Over a year ago

@ZahraGolpa db in this example is almost equivalent to var con = mysql.createConnection({...});. It is a different way to organize the code and instantiating the connection to the database.

Zahra Golpa Over a year ago

I got it. Thank you ;)

user9895412 Over a year ago

Re: .gitignore What if I want to use github pages to deploy a demo of this app? I'm creating a html/js project for school, and although it's above and beyond what I'm required to do, I wanted to add extra functionality and include a firebase firestore db connection.

Cisco · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-29 18:41:56Z

0

You can use a module called dotenv which will load an environments variables defined in a .env file or any file you specify. You would then load the .env in two ways:

In the main script file, call require('dotenv').config()
Via npm script: "dev": "node -r dotenv/config app.js"

Either works, but you do not want to commit .env to source control. Always keep sensitive credentials out. You can create a an .env.example to alert new users the required variables.

answered Aug 29, 2017 at 18:41

Cisco

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1 Comment

Zahra Golpa Over a year ago

Thank you very much for your help 🙏 @fransiscoMateo

6 revs · Accepted Answer · 2021-12-30 10:47:09Z

Using dotenv package. Install dotenv package.

npm i dotenv

Create a new .env file in project root directory.

touch .env

Add environment variables to .env file

API_HOST=HOST-PLACEHOLDER-URL
API_KEY=TOP-SECRET
APP_NAME=node_crud
APP_ENV=local
APP_KEY=base64:RIjL2Uw/Wdve+HJEvRNp6LHhzoHtLbplQcUp60CBIvs=
APP_DEBUG=true
APP_URL=http://localhost
LOG_CHANNEL=stack
LOG_DEPRECATIONS_CHANNEL=null
LOG_LEVEL=debug
DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=node_restapi
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=
PORT = 5000

Add config/database.js file

const dotenv = require('dotenv');
const mysql = require('mysql');

// configraration with env. 
dotenv.config();
module.exports = mysql.createConnection({
host: process.env.DB_HOST,
user: process.env.DB_USERNAME,
password: process.env.DB_PASSWORD, 
database: process.env.DB_DATABASE 
});

config/database.js connect with app.js file

// Database Connection
const conn = require('./config/database');
// Shows Mysql Connect
conn.connect((err) =>{
if(err) throw err;
console.log('Mysql Connected with App...');
});

A .env file is needed for a clean separation of environment-specific configurations.
The dotenv packaged is used to read a .env file at runtime containing environment variables and append them on the process.env object.
Creating an example for a .env file to document the mandatory variables speeds up project setup time.
Never commit a .env file to version control.

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